


Complicated, Delicate Grace

by Thevina



Category: Slave Breakers - maculategiraffe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-22 14:47:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2511515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thevina/pseuds/Thevina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set within <a href="http://maculategiraffe.livejournal.com/109862.html#cutid1">Correspondence</a>. During a day of bliss and a rough spot, Lee newly discovers how deep Andrei's affections and pride for him are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Complicated, Delicate Grace

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks, of course, to [](http://maculategiraffe.livejournal.com/profile)[**maculategiraffe**](http://maculategiraffe.livejournal.com/) for creating this world and not minding people like me writing fanfiction set within it. My gratitude to [](http://elfscribe5.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://elfscribe5.livejournal.com/)**elfscribe5** for the speedy and astute beta. The title comes from a sentence Holden writes within the Correspondence story, which has unwittingly made me rather the Lee/Andrei fangirl: _He was proud of your physical beauty-- and maybe he loved that, in his way-- but he didn't care to see or understand the complicated, delicate grace of your intuitive mind, so keen of observation and so tender to the touch of either kindness or cruelty._

"Lee, dear?"

At the sound of Andrei's voice, Lee jolted out of his fidgeting absent-mindedness he'd had all day.

"Yes mas— Andrei."

On his feet in a flash, Andrei gestured for Lee to sit back down on the couch. Andrei's kind face was a shifting kaleidoscope of feelings: affection, amusement, and concern. For the first time in weeks, small knots of fear lodged in Lee's belly.

"Oh, goodness. I haven't said a word and you have that frightened rabbit look. There's nothing wrong, honey." He reached out his hands and Lee took them, grateful to be touching him, but he still wasn't at ease again. "You're looking forward to Mr. Larssen and Bran's visit, aren't you?"

"Yes," Lee enthused, lowering his gaze as a flush rose in his cheeks. There was a particular reason why he was so looking forward to their visit, one he and Andrei had already spoken about.

Andrei loosed one hand to gently raise Lee's face. Lee tried to will away his embarrassment, especially to look into the clear blue eyes of his generous former master.

"You and I have already talked about this, and you're free now regardless. I just want to state again that if and when you and Bran want to be reunited, privately, you don't need to ask my permission."

Lee knew his face was burning, and he was gripping Andrei's hand. "Thank you," he said, his voice raspy as he tried to subdue feelings that careened through his head like a startled flock of birds.

"There's a lot going on in that beautiful head of yours, isn't there?" Andrei asked, a tender smile blooming on his lips.

"Yes," Lee said gratefully. "I'm so happy here, with you and Mona, and you've given me my own room, and you say I'm ex— exskiz—" He colored again, frustrated at his ineptitude, especially compared to the easy grace of his former master.

"Exquisite. Yes, Lee, you _are_ exquisite. I'm not the only one who appreciates that. As a free man, if you went out into the world, you would hear that all the time."

Lee's eyes widened and panic fluttered in his chest. "You're not going to ask me to leave, are you?" He couldn't help it; he flung himself into Andrei's arms, wincing as he heard one of Andrei's rare swear words, though his slender fingers were rubbing soothing patterns over Lee's scarred back.

"Lee dearest, I didn't mean that at all. I'd be devastated if you left. I count my blessings every day that you choose to be here and to continue to be a part of this small family."

Lee's equilibrium began to reassert itself and he stopped trembling, able to nuzzle into the safe harbor of Andrei's neck.

"All I'm trying to say, though I'm making a mess of it, is to please enjoy yourself when Bran and Holden arrive, any minute now."

Lee's heart began thudding against his chest and he pressed himself even more tightly into Andrei's arms. He breathed in Andrei's faint scent of pine, a lingering and familiar smell from the soap he used to shave with.

"But I will admit that I hope you'll join me in my bed tonight after they've gone home."

"Of course, oh, of course," Lee said a bit breathlessly, his lips slightly parted as Andrei gently loosed Lee's hold on him. Andrei cradled Lee's jaw, giving him a bone-melting smile before he placed and lingering but chaste kiss on his lips.

Just then the front doorbell rang, and Lee's pulse ratcheted up yet again.

"I'll get it!" Mona called cheerfully, striding down from the staircase and heading for the stately foyer.

"Keep breathing, honey," Andrei said, and Lee tried to take a deep but shaky breath. They were going to be here, he'd get to show them his room, then he and Bran—

"Thank you," Lee said fervently, placing his trembling fingers on Andrei's shoulders. He heard Holden's voice, warm with pleasure, and then Bran's enthusiastic greeting. Lee squeezed Andrei's shoulders, blinking back the tears already hot in his eyes. Andrei nodded slightly and then Lee dashed away, a magnet to his lodestones.

* * * * *

"So have you read all of these yet?" Bran asked, his body draped against Lee's back like ivy clinging to a column. The words were purred into Lee's ear, causing Lee to be acutely aware of the growing stiffness of his penis.

"No," Lee said. His breath hitched when Bran carefully rolled Lee's earlobe between his teeth. "Not yet. Mona makes me read out loud, though."

"Does she, now."

Bran drew Lee's belt back through its buckle and dropped it to the floor. Lee made a small yelp at the clattering sound, even though he knew no one was in the room below them and the door was shut.

"Lee, sweetheart?" Bran turned him around, genuine confusion on his face. "Everyone's given us permission. Holden joked on the way over that I wouldn't even make it through dinner before ravaging you."

"He did?" Lee felt comfortable again, sliding his hands around Bran's waist and then down to knead his firm backside.

"Yes."

Bran sensuously rocked his groin against Lee's, though his gaze was playful. Lee whimpered at having Bran's body next to him once again. He tugged at Bran's tunic, and waited for him to pull it off over his head before leaning in to kiss his nipples, standing at attention. Bran made a low, encouraging noise, then held Lee's buttocks in a commanding grip.

"You're not naked. That's a crime."

Lee moved back far enough to let Bran remove his tunic and then paused, basking in Bran's heated appreciation.

"One more question before we go to your beautiful bed and I get to remember how good it feels to fuck you."

Bran's fingers smoothed down Lee's sides, his palms resting atop his hips. "It's written all over your face, and it's in how you carry yourself. I've never seen you so relaxed, by the Ash!"

Lee squirmed, impatiently wanting to share something new with Bran that he'd only recently tried at Andrei's request. But he loved Bran, and hadn't realized just how much he'd missed him, Bran and Holden both.

"Well, ask!" Lee implored, his fingers greedily mapping the wings of Bran's shoulder blades, one palm sliding down to pause on the curve of Bran's bottom.

"Are you happy?"

Lee just stared for a moment. "Yes! Andrei says I'm exquisite." He stopped, beaming and proud that he'd said the word properly. "Even before I was free, he said he'd never hit me. When he uses me, he's"

He colored. Lee stumbled over the new terms, grateful it was Bran he was talking to, not his former master. Bran merely looked curious, so Lee tried again.

"When Andrei takes his pleasure, I can tell he's so glad he bought me."

Bran lazily brought his lips to Lee's, sending his tongue into Lee's mouth. Lee moaned his gratitude, grateful at last to get a proper kiss.

"I've missed you," Bran spoke against Lee's lips. "It's all different now, and I love Holden more than ever, and I love you, too. Lord Taganov— his eyes light up when you're there. I'm so happy for you, Lee."

"He's shown me all kinds of ways to please him," Lee said before claiming Bran's mouth with a kiss. "I want to share one with you."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Bran asked, his husky voice the force that drove Lee to walk them back toward his bed. He didn't break the kiss; their tongues slid playfully against each other like cavorting seals. When the back of Bran's knees hit the bed, he sat, scooting over so there was room for both of them to lie down. Lee pushed Bran onto his back, straddling him, his erection twitching when it touched Bran's.

"You're beautiful," Lee breathed, awestruck at the lithe body on his bed — _his_ bed! — Bran's face shining with delight and anticipation.

"So are you, sweetheart," Bran said as Lee planted his hands above Bran's shoulders and leaned down to kiss him some more. "So are you."

Lee kissed and laved at all of the sensitive and tender parts of Bran's body down his torso. He teased him, flicking his tongue to taste the fluid at the tip of Bran's cock, but then he continued on to suck at the musky skin of his inner thighs. It was like the first strawberry in season, a flavor whose bright richness was newly sweet after months when it couldn't be savored. Lee was thoroughly enjoying his feast. He loved hearing Bran's moans and monosyllabic words of pleasure. It was time now, though, to show Bran he'd learned some new tricks since becoming Andrei's slave. Former slave. He sat back on his heels in the vee of Bran's legs, one hand stretched out so he could fan his fingers in the curly pubes. He rippled his fingers along the firm base, returning to the soft curls.

"Turn over," he commanded, and then giggled when he saw Bran gape at him.

"Sif, listen to you. Giving orders!" Bran said with a wide grin before quickly complying.

Lee blushed, and in a less demanding voice said, "Move up a bit, please."

"You have too many pillows." There was a smile in Bran's voice.

"Just move them, then."

Lee maneuvered himself to the space between Bran's legs, unselfconsciously massaging his firm cheeks. "Um, will you put your legs under you?"

Bran did so, as he retorted, "You could have just asked me to stick my ass in the air."

Lee nipped at one buttock as a reply and Bran let out a short yelp. Lee carefully anchored his hands on Bran's backside and leaned in, cautiously letting his tongue slide down the dusky crease to Bran's hole. Bran's gasp of surprise quickly changed to a moan of bliss as Lee licked around the puckered muscle. He lapped at Bran's sensitive hollow, humming against the hot skin when he could tell Bran enjoyed what he was doing. He hadn't had a lot of practice at this yet, but Andrei had insisted Lee was a natural and then demonstrated to Lee how good it felt. Keeping that in mind, Lee pointed his tongue to be able to spear into the quivering hole. His own cock grew harder as he heard Bran's praise and profanity. Lee fucked Bran with his tongue until he paused to rest his jaw, planting slopping kisses along the crease up to the base of his spine.

"Gods, Lee," Bran gasped, getting up onto his hands so he could turn to look back at him. He had a wild, possessive look in his eye; Lee's cock jumped at the greedy expression on his friend's face.

"Did you like that?" Lee asked before he was tackled and pinned on his back, Bran making animal sounds and branding his neck in a frenzy of kisses.

"Yes," Bran said, his voice smoky and rich like the cognac Andrei sometimes drank. He'd offered some to Lee once, and because Andrei had been so earnest, Lee had sampled the liqueur. It had warmed him, burning his throat at first. Lee had decided he preferred the scent of it to drinking it, though he adored how even more effusive Andrei became on the rare occasions when he got a bit tipsy.

"Where's your lube?" Bran asked. "Because I'm about to fuck you senseless. Gods. I'm so glad you're happy!" Bran's eyes shone as Lee handed him the lubricant.

"I am. I'm so glad you're visiting, and you can see I'm treated so well. You and the master Holden oh, you know what I mean!" Lee spluttered, thankfully no longer needing speech because Bran had grabbed his legs and hoisted them to his shoulders, aligned his slicked penis to Lee's body and slid inside with a hiss of gratification.

Lee let out a near-constant stream of needy "ah"s, quick huffs of sound in time to Bran's fast pounding. The curls around Bran's face swung with the snap of his hips, some strands stuck to his forehead with sweat. Lee was overwhelmed with the fierce intensity in Bran's face; Bran purposefully aimed for that spot that made Lee's toes curl, again and again. Spontaneous tears of utter joy welled up in Lee's eyes and he let them spill over as he took his aching cock in hand. He was so close already. Lee gripped his slender length, sliding his hand up and down as Bran stroked deep inside him, his face a mask of concentration.

"Come for me," Bran rasped, and Lee pulled hectically on his erection. The tingling started from the back of his knees and then raced through his balls as he came with a ragged cry, dizzy with the intensity of his orgasm.

"Lee! Oh, fuck, oh!" Bran thrust erratically and then his hips crashed against Lee's bottom one last time.

Lee's legs were shaking from being held in the air and he suspected his backside would be tender tomorrow. And that was perfect. He thought his heart might burst with happiness, looking at Bran's lazy smile, the incredulous, slow shake of his head as he gingerly eased out and helped Lee get comfortable by his side. Bran licked around his dry lips, glowing with satisfaction.

"You are unbelievable," he said, kissing Lee sweetly on the lips. "And to think that I had the incredible good fortune to share a bed with you for months."

A flush crept up Lee's neck. "I wasn't— well, you know. It took me a long time to feel safe, and to realize that being used fucking" He blushed more furiously, which was ridiculous because he and Bran were both sex slaves. He cleared his throat, and seeing uncluttered warmth in his friend's face, he soldiered on. "It can feel really good. Seeing you again, pleasing you, it's" he finished softly.

"Sweetheart, sweet Lee," Bran murmured as he enfolded Lee in the warm bower of his arms. "You have no idea."

* * * * *

Miserably, Lee sat perched on the side of Andrei's bed. It had been such a wonderful afternoon and evening, and then he'd had to go and ruin the whole thing. Fresh tears threatened to leak from his eyes, but he was sick of crying at everything. Why wasn't he more like Bran? Bran who'd fought back against Dunaev; Bran who loved the master — _Holden_ — without care or worry; Bran who'd had a father who loved him and didn't beat him or let his friends fuck his son

In despair, Lee hugged his legs more tightly to his chest, hoping beyond hope that Andrei would just hold him in his arms and not talk about why Lee had yelled at Holden before bursting into tears. Maybe Andrei would change his mind and let Lee go to his room to lie in bed by himself, remembering every time he'd done things wrong. Lee didn't have to obey orders now, and Andrei hadn't demanded or begged; it was Lee's choice if he desired to leave. As he heard Andrei turn off the taps in the bathroom, having finished brushing his teeth, with a sinking feeling Lee realized he was there simply because Andrei had asked him to be.

Before Andrei might feel the need to come around to Lee's side of the bed, Lee hurriedly got under the covers. His mind raced and his body tensed as he tried to gauge his no-longer-master's mood. Yes, he'd been a slave, but in some ways, it had been simpler, before. Lee heard Andrei hang his dressing gown over a chair. He then slid under the sheets that whispered their quality against Lee's skin, now burning with shame. Lee wanted a hole to appear to swallow him up, or for Loki himself to burst from the ground and cart him off, his yellow eyes blazing.

"Lee, love?"

Despite his inner turmoil, Lee turned and reached automatically for Andrei's arms like a plant to sunlight. He allowed Andrei to hold him, his elegant hands rubbing softly against Lee's back, causing him to relax. After a time, Lee discovered he was clinging to Andrei, an arm around his ribs and his leg thrown over Andrei's thigh as though to trap him if he might decide to get up.

"I suspect you don't want to talk about—" Andrei paused and let his fingers drift up to knead gently at Lee's scalp, something that made Lee all but purr aloud. "About the conversation you had with Mister Larssen before he and Bran left. You don't need to, honey."

Lee nodded gratefully. He wasn't ready to talk about his unforgivable yelling at Holden. It had been so brief, Holden talking about how fathers should treat sons and Lee realizing Holden had used him just as Lee's father had, except Holden had been far more gentle. And then Lee had yelled before thinking about anything at all, and then he'd cried his heart out. It was still far too raw.

"You can write him, if you want," Andrei continued. "I'm so proud of you for taking the initiative to write him and to improve your reading and writing. Have I told you just how proud I am of you?"

"Yes, ma— yes, Andrei." Lee's hold on Andrei slackened a bit; he no longer felt the need to grab him for dear life. Andrei sowed a path of sweet kisses against the crown of Lee's head. Lee was struck by the tone in Andrei's voice, and another aspect to his buyer's personality was suddenly illuminated.

"Andrei?"

"Yes?"

"Does it make you just as happy that I'm getting better at writing and reading as when you use— when you take your pleasure with me?"

The room was dark, and Lee was pressed fully against his former master's body, but he could feel Andrei's smile against his forehead.

"You really are insightful," Andrei murmured, and Lee wriggled a shade closer to him at the compliment. "It's a different kind of happiness and pleasure, but in essence, yes. While you're extraordinarily beautiful, and your body is truly a banquet of rich delights I'll never get tired of tasting, you mean so much more to me than just your physical being."

Blood had rushed to Lee's cock at Andrei's comment and he shifted as it thickened slightly. Andrei made an amused humming sound and gently moved his leg over the one Lee didn't have stretched over his thigh.

"That said, with your warm body so close, and something as tantalizing as this coming to life," Andrei's fingers traveled to the front of Lee's hip to graze at his growing arousal, "it's hard to focus on anything except how happy I am that it's you here sharing my bed."

A soft moan passed over Lee's lips at the delicate touches to his erection.

"I don't doubt that you and Bran had an enthusiastic reunion, and heaven knows I can survive the night quite contentedly simply with you at my side. But are you at all interested in taking me?"

Scooting back far enough to be able to see Andrei's face, Lee placed a hand in his silky hair as he arched into Andrei's hand, now stroking him until he was fully hard. He kissed Andrei softly on the mouth, all thoughts flying away except for something Holden had said again and again when Lee had been sobbing in his arms: "You deserve to be happy."

Lee slowly rocked his hips against the answering hardness of Andrei's cock. Desire for Andrei and the anticipation of pushing deep into his tight heat caused his fingers to tingle. "Yes, I'm interested," he said and felt Andrei's breath tremble over his lips.

"I'm so glad," Andrei said, his voice roughened with passion and an emotion Lee wasn't sure he could identify. "Yes, Lee, oh"

Lee kissed him into silence and expressed his gratitude in the way he'd been so well trained. He was especially inspired, pleasuring Andrei with an energy Lee hadn't thought he'd have after such an eventful day. After they'd gotten cleaned up and were again side by side like sleeping puppies, Andrei kissed Lee's forehead.

"Sleep well, sweetheart," he said in a soft voice, and Lee nodded, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Thank you, dear Andrei," he whispered, and then succumbed to a dreamless sleep.  



End file.
